Lubricant fluid control apparatus for pumping systems



A. W. BURN ELL Filed April 17, 1957 L N E WU 0 1 N5 7 0 W 4 0 a 6 M i 5 i I i; 4 9 F 6 Q 0 5 l; W v 7 5 B I 1 j 2 n, MM all/l W/ W4 May 9, 1961 LUBRICANT FLUID CONTROL APPARATUS FOR PUMPING SYSTEMS LUBRIQANT FLUID CQNTROL APPARATUS FOR PUMPING SYSTEMS Anthony W. Burnell, Berea, Ky., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, 'East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 17, '1957, Ser. No. 653,457 Claims. (01. zen-e07 The present invention relates to pumping systems for fluids, such as gases, and more particularly, to .a fluidcontrol apparatus for such systems.

Heretofore, it has been known in the manufacture of incandescent lamps and the like, to employ automatic exhaust machines of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,254,905, issued September 2, 1941, to Daniel Mullan, in conjunction with an exhaust system having motor driven vacuum pumps of the type shown in US. Patent No. 1,623,315, issued April 5, 1927, to J. R. Kinney, to remove the deleterious gases evolved from the lamps undergoing exhaust. Rotary pumps of this type utilize oil for lubricating the rotatable shaft, cam and piston and forming a seal between the piston and the inner chamber, which oil is contained in a reservoir disposed above the pump so that it flows into the moving parts by gravity. Any oil vaporized in the chamber by the heat generated by the moving parts of the pump. is expelled along with the exhaust gases through the discharge pipe and reclaimed in the oil reservoir.

However, if the pump stops due to power failure, motor failure, breakage of the motor belt or connecting shaft, or if the maintenance man fails to close the valves in the vacuum line and oil lines when shutting down the exhaust machine and the pump, atmospheric pressure on the oil reservoir forces the oil through the inner chamber, up through the evacuated vacuum line connecting the tates Patent pump to the exhaust machine and into the sweeps and exhaust heads of the machine, thereby contaminating the entire exhaust machine and requiring the dismantling and thorough cleaning of all portions of the exhaust machine. This flooding of the exhaust machine with oil results in an expensive reconditioning operation which requires several days to perform and further causes an obvious loss of production and a lowered efliciency of the displaced operators normally employed 'on the exhaust machine, which operators may be temporarily assigned to unfamiliar work during the reconditioning process.

In addition, when the pump is started to commence operation of the exhaust machine, it is essential that the maintenance man open the valve in the oil line which returns the oil in the reservoir to the inner chamber. If he fails to do this, the unlubricated shaft, cam and piston will suffer abrasive wear which may result in the ruin of the pump.

It is the general object of the invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of a fluid-control apparatus for pumping systems which "apparatus prevents the flooding of the pumping system and the associated exhaust machine with oil in the event of pump failure. i

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a fluid-control apparatus for pumping systems which apparatus automatically delivers a small amount of oil to the inner chamber after shut down of the pump,

thereby preventing excessive wear-of the rotating parts "ice in the event that the maintenance man fails to open the oil reservoir valve when starting the pumping system and associated exhaust machine.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a 'fluid control apparatus for pumping systems which apparatus automatically supplies a small amount of oil to the pumping chamber after shutdown, so that when the oil is admixed with the evacuated gases from the exhaust machine a visual smoke signal is produced before the oil is completely dissipated to indicate that the pump is improperly lubricated.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a fluid-control apparatus for pumping systems which apparatus automatically prevents the lubricating and sealing oil contained in the pump from flowing in a direction toward the low-pressure side of the pumping system and exhaust machine when the pump ceases to function.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a fluid-control apparatus for pumping systems which apparatus automatically relieves the pressure 'are achieved by providing the pumping system with a 'fluid control apparatus having vent-check means for permitting the escape of fluids pumped by the system and for preventing the admission of ambient air into the system when "the system stops pumping. Also, by the provision of breather means exposed to the ambient air and in communication with the lubricating and sealing oil in the system the air is prevented from entering the system during normal operation thereof. However, when the pumping system ceases to function for any reason, the ambient-air pressure on the oil in the breather means forces that oil into the pumping system and exposes the system to ambient-air pressurethereby relieving the pressure differential between the system and the atmosphere and preventing the flooding of the system and the associatcd lamp-exhaust machine with oil.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1' is a side-elevational view of the pumping system wherein the fluid-control apparatus of the present invention is incorporated and showing the oil reservoir, breather means and associated oil lines in vertical section, the upper portion of the inner compartment broken away to indicate the details of the oscillating pin and the blade of the piston and illustrating the pumping system functioning under normal operating conditions.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the lower-end portions of the pump broken away to indicate the details of the inner chamber, piston and cam of the pump, and conditions in the system after the pump has Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view' of the end bearing, shaft and oil lines and showing 3 the path of the oil into the inner chamber during operation of the fluid-control apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a vertical-sectional view of the pump showing the moving parts thereot in their uppermost position with respect to the inner chamber.

Although the principles of the invention are broadly applicable to pumping systems in general, the invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a pumping system for en exhaust machine for incandescent lamps and the like and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With specific reference to the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, a pumping system is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for evacuating the deleterious gases from incandescent lamps exhausted on a conventional machine of the type such as shown in the above mentioned U.S. Patent No. 2,254,905. To provide means for the passage of these gases from the exhaust machine (not shown) to the pumping system 10, an inlet pipe 12 extends from such exhaust machine through a manually operated valve 14 to an inner compartment 16 of a vacuum pump 18 of the type shown in the above mentioned US. Patent No. 1,623,315.

Since the pump 18 per se forms no part of the present invention it is deemed sufficient to only briefly describe the pump 18 and its operation. The hot deleterious gases from the inlet pipe 12 enter the inner compartment 16 and pass into a pocket 20 in a blade 22 extending laterally from an annular piston 24 and reciproca'ble in a slotted oscillating pin 26 disposed in the cylindrical bottom portion of the compartment 16. For the purpose of causing the piston 24 to contact the cylindrical Wall of an inner chamber 28 of the pump 18 along a straight line during the entire clockwise rotation of a shaft 38 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), which shaft extends through the center of the chamber 28 and is journalled in end bearings 32 secured to the frame of the pump 18, the piston 24 surrounds and rides on a cam 34 keyed to the shaft 30. The shaft in turn is driven by a prime mover, such as a motor (not shown) at a speed of about 360 r.p.m.

During the operation of the pump 18, the shaft 30 rdtates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, and when the piston 24 is in a position a at the top of inner chamber 28 (Fig. 5) an inlet port 36 in the blade 22 is sealed oif by the oscillating pin 26 and a spring-biased valve 38 in an outlet port 40 in the side wall of the inner chamber 28 is closed. As the piston 24 commences to rotate in the direction of the arrow (Figs. 1 and 5) all hot deleterious gases which enter the chamber 28 and oil vapor generated in the chamber during the preceding cycle will be compressed in advance of the piston 24 and forced toward the outlet port 40 preparatory to being subsequently forced through the valve 38 into a discharge pipe 42, extending through the side wall of an oil reservoir 44 in which lubrication and sealing oil 46 for the pump is disposed. During this forward movement of the piston 24, from the position a (Fig. 5), the blade 22 commences to tilt, thereby moving the oscillating pin 26 about its axis, and also such blade moves downwardly until the piston 24 reaches the position b (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), beyond which position the blade 22 will have withdrawn from the oscillating pin 26 sufi'iciently to uncover the inlet port 36 and permit a new charge of deleterious gases to be drawn from the pocket 20 into the chamber 28 in back of the piston 24 while those gases already in the chamber 28 ahead of the piston 24 will be forced toward the outlet port 40. The inlet port 36 remains open through position a until the piston 24 reaches a position 0 (Figs. 1 and 2) at which time the inlet port 36 will be closed and remain closed until the piston 24 again reaches the above mentioned position b. During the advance of the piston 24 from b to c the hot gases and oil vapors in advance of the piston 24 are further compressed and forced through the valve 38 into the discharge pipe 42 which is surrounded by the cooler ambient air. While the contacting line of the piston 24 is travelling from c to b the supply of deleterious gases to the chamber 28 is entirely out off since the blade 22 will then again enter oscillating pin 26 thus closing the port 36 and the initial compression of the residual deleterious gases and oil vapor in advance of the piston 24 will begin.

The hot evacuated gases and oil vapor from the inner chamber 28 leave the upwardly disposed discharge end (Fig. l) of the discharge pipe 42 and encounter a baflie 48 secured to the side walls of the relatively co'ol reservoir 44, which bafile is employed for condensing some of the oil vapor. The condensed vapor then drops downwardly into the first of a plurality of collecting plates 50 secured to the side walls of the reservoir 44 and from which plate the condensed oil is returned to the reservoir 44. The still hot deleterious gases and residual oil vapor pass around the baflle 58 upwardly successively against a plurality of similar plates 50, only one of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where the residual oil vapor is similarly condensed and returned to the reservoir 44. Meanwhile, the deleterious gases pas successively through the plates 56, a vent pipe 52 upstanding from the reservoir 44, means such as a vent-check valve 54 (Fig. 3) located in the pipe 52, and a vapor arrestor 56 aflixed to the pipe 52 to the atmosphere.

So that the vent-check valve 54 may permit the escape of the deleterious gases pumped through the vent pipe 52 and prevent the admission of air downwardly into the pipe 52, as viewed in Figs. l and 2, when the pump 18 ceases to function, the vent-check valve 54 may comprise an apertured valve seat 58 secured to the side walls of the valve housing and an associated clapper arm 69 pivoted at 62 on the side wall of the valve housing.

To provide means for returning the oil 46 in the reservoir 44 to the rotating parts 24, 30 and 34 of the pump 18 within the inner chamber 28, a main-supply line 64 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) provided with a manually operated valve 66 extends from the reservoir 44 to the end bearing 32, from which it passes along the shaft 30 (Fig. 4) and into the chamber #28. For the purpose of providing additional lubrication of the rotating parts, a bypass-supply line 68 having a manually-operated valve 70 therein extends from the main-supply line 64 to another portion of the end bearing 32.

While various means may be utilized to provide breather means for the fluid-control apparatus of the present invention the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 employs a standpipe 72 secured by means of a suitable T-connection to the main-supply line 64 and having air-holes in the end thereof for admission of atmospheric pressure as hereinafter explained. Under normal operating conditions (Fig. l) the oil 46 rises in the standpipe 72 to the same height as the oil in the oil reservoir 44 and forms a seal to block the entrance of air into the pipe 72 during normal operation of the pumping system 10. If for some reason the pump 18 stops because of power or motor failure, breakage of the motor belt or the shaft '30, or if the maintenance man fails to close the valve 14 in the inlet pipe 12 and the valves 66 and 70 in the oil lines 64 and 68 when shutting down the exhaust machine (not shown), the hot deleterious gases and oil vapor in the discharge pipe 42 and the reservoir 44 are rapidly cooled by the ambient air and the vapors condensed to create a partial vacuum condition in the oil reservoir 44 and the atmospheric pressure on the vent-check valve 54 keeps the vent-check valve in the closed position. Under these conditions the springbiased valve 38 in the outlet port 40 remains closed. The atmospheric pressure on the oil 46 in the standpipe 72 forces the oil down the standpipe 72 through the oil line 64 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) and the end bearing 32, along the shaft 30 and into the inner chamber 28 of the pump 18 as shown in Fig. 2. Following vacation of the oil from the standpipe 72 air is admitted through the above described pathand through the inner chamber 28, the inlet port 36, pocket 20 of the blade 22,-the inner compartment 16, the valve 14, and theinlet pipe 12, to the exhaust machine (not shown). The atmospheric pressure thus created blocks the flowof oil down the oil line 64 (Fig. 2) and prevents the air'which slowly leaks aroundthe vent-check valve 54 and collects above the oil 46 within the r wervoir44 from forcing said oil through the pump 18 and into the exhaust machine (not shown). In normal operation the vent-check valve 54 will prevent equalization of the pressure in the reservoir 44 with theatmospheric pressure in the pump 18 for periods of timeexceeding two days with resultant prevention of the flow of oil 46 from the reservoir 44 to the pump 18 during such periods.

Further, if the maintenance man fails to open the oil-supply valves 66 and 70 upon starting up the pump 18, upon resumption ofthe exhaust machine operation, the residual oil 46 provided in the bottom of the inner chamber '28'of the pump 18 by the -above described op-' eration of the fluid-control apparatus will provide suflicient' lubrication to temporarily prevent abrasive wear of the piston 24, rotating shaft 30 and cam 34. In addition, the oil when admixed with the hot evacuated gases from'the' exhaust machine (not shown), will produce, before being completely dissipated, a visual smoke sig-. nal that the pump '18 has'not been properly lubricated.

It will be recognized that the objects of the inventionhave been achieved by the provision of fluid-control apparatusfor a pumping system for an automatic lamp exhaust machine (not shown) which apparatus prevents, when the pump ceases to functiomthe flow of lubricating and sealing oil contained in the pump; in a direction toward the low-pressure side of the system. In addition,

the fluid-control apparatus automatically relieves the pressure diiferential'between the low-pressure side of the pumping system and the atmosphere, automatically prevents the flooding of the pumping system and the associated lamp-exhaust machine with oil and delivers a small amount of oil into the pumping chamber after pump failure or shut down to prevent destruction of the pump if the pumpis not properly lubricated before starting. This small amount of oil also provides a visual smoke signal to indicate that the pump is improperly lubricated upon starting.

It should be noted that while the present invention has been illustrated and described in conjunction with a vacuum system for the exhaustion of electric lamps, the fluid-control apparatus of this invention may. be just as readily utilized with pumping systems employed for any gas evacuating purpose.

While in accordance with the patent statutes one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail it will be understood that other modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A pumping system for evacuating gases from a lamp and having during normal operation thereof a low-pressure side less than ambient-air pressure, comprising pumping means for connection to said lamp, means for storing excess oil, restrictive means communicating with said pumping means and said storage means for returning said excess oil to said pumping means and for opposing the gravity head of excess oil in the storage means, discharge means connecting said pumping means to said storage means for delivering evacuated gases and oil vaporized by operation of said pumping means to said storage means, and fluid-control apparatus operatively associated with said storage means and said restrictive means for preventing said excess oil from flowing in a direction toward the low-pressure side upon cessation in the operation of such pumping means, said fluid-control apparatus comprising a vent-check valve connected to said storage means for permitting the escape of gases evacuated by said pumping means during normal operationthereof and operable to prevent the admission of ambient air into said storage means when said pumping means ceases to operate, and a standpipe connected to said restrictive means between said storage means and said pumping means and open to the ambient air above the excess oil level and normally having a column of contained oil therein to prevent the flow of ambient air into said pumping means during normal operation thereof, and said contained oil in said standpipe being removed therefrom by the pressure diiferential between the ambient air and said pumping means upon cessation in the operation of said pumping means to cause exposure of said low-pressure side of said pumping means to ambient air pressure which cooperates with said restrictive means in temporarily blocking the flow of said excess oil from said storage means-into the normally low-pressure side of said'pumping means and into said lamp when said pumping means ceases to operate.

2. A pumping system for evacuating gases from a lamp and having during normal operation thereof a lowpressure side less than atmospheric, comprising a pump for connection to said lamp, means for storing excess lubricating fluid, restrictive means communicating with said pump and said storage means for returning said excess lubricating fluid to said pump and for'opposing the gravity head of said excess lubricating fluid in the storage means, discharge means connecting said pump to said storage means and for delivering evacuated gases and fluid vaporized by operation of said pump to said storage means, valve means in said discharge means for permitting the flow of said gases and vapor into said discharge means, fluid-control apparatus operatively associated with said storage means and said restrictive means for preventing said excess fluid from flowing in' a direction toward the low-pressure side of the'pump upon cessation in the operation of such pump, said fluid-control apparatus comprising a vent-check valve connected to said storage means for permitting the escape of gases evacuated 'by said pump during normal operation'thereof and operable to prevent the admission of ambient airinto said storage means when said pump ceases to operate, and .a standpipe connected to said restrictive means between said storage means and said pump and open to the ambient air above the excess lubricating fluid level, said standpipe normally having a column of contained lubricating fluid therein to prevent the flow of ambient air into said pump during normal operation thereof, and said contained lubricating fluid in said standpipe being removed therefrom by the pressure difierential between the ambient air and said pump upon cessation in the operation of said pump to cause exposure of said lowprcssure side of said pump to ambient-air pressure which cooperates with said restrictive means in temporarily blocking the flow of said lubricating fluid from said storage means into the normally low-pressure side of said pump and into said lamp when said pump ceases to opcrate.

3. A pumping system for evacuting gases from a lamp and having during normal operation thereof a lowpressure side less than ambient-air pressure, comprising a pump for connection to said lamp, a reservoir for storing excess oil, restrictive means communicating with said pump and said reservoir for returning said excess oil to said pump and for opposing the gravity head of excess oil in said reservoir, discharge means connecting said pump to said reservoir for delivering evacuated gases and oil vaporized by operation of said pump to said reservoir, fluid-control apparatus operatively associated with said reservoir and said restrictive means for preventing said excess oil from flowing in a direction toward the lowpressure side of the pump upon cessation in the operation of such pump, said fluid-control apparatus comprising a vent-check valve connected to said reservoir for permitting the escape of gases evacuated by said pump during normal operation thereof and operable to prevent the admission of ambient air into said reservoir when said pump ceases to operate, and a standpipe connected to said restrictive means between said reservoir and said pump and open to the ambient air above the reservoir oil level and normally having a column of contained oil therein to prevent the flow of ambient air into said pump during normal operation thereof, and said contained oil in said standpipe being removed therefrom by the pressure differential between ambient air and said pump upon cessation in the operation of said pump to cause exposure of said low-pressure side of said pump to ambient-air pressure which cooperates with said restrictive means in temporarily blocking the flow of said oil from said reservoir into the normally low-pressure side of said pump and into said lamp when said pump ceases to operate.

4. A pumping system for evacuating gases from a lamp, comprising pumping means for connection to said lamp, a reservoir in which excess lubricating and sealing fluid is disposed, restrictive means in communication with said pumping means and said reservoir for returning excess fluid to said pumping means when said pumping means is operating normally and for opposing the gravity head of said excess fluid in said reservoir, and fluidcontrol means operatively associated with said reservoir for preventing the fiow of said excess fluid from said reservoir into said pumping means when said pumping means ceases to operate, said fluid-control means comprising a vent-check valve connected to said reservoir for permitting the escape of gases and vapors from said reservoir when said pumping means is operating normally and for preventing the admission of ambient air into said pumping means when it ceases to operate, and a standpipe connected to said restrictive means between said res- *8 pressure which cooperates with said restrictive means in temporarily blocking the flow of said fluid from said res-' ervoir into said pumping means and into said lamp when said pumping means ceases to operate.

5. A pumping system for evacuating gases from a lamp, comprising a pump for connection to said lamp, a-res'ervoir in which a quantity of lubricating and sealing oil is.

disposed, a restrictive oil-return line connecting said reservoir to said pump and operable to oppose the gravity head of said oil in said reservoir and to return oil to said pump when said pump is operating normally, means for discharging gases and oil vapors from said pump into said reservoir, and a fluid-control means for preventing the flow of said oil from said reservoir into said pump when said pump ceases to operate, said fluid-control means comprising a vent-check valve connected to said reservoir for permitting the escape of gases and vapors from said reservoir when said pump is operating normally and for preventing the admission of ambient air into said pump when it ceases to operate, and a standpipe connected to said restrictive oil-supply line between said reservoir and said pump and open to ambient air above the reservoir oil level and normally having a column of contained oil therein to prevent the flow of ambient air into said pump during normal operation thereof, and said contained oil in said standpipe being removed therefrom by the pressure differential between ambient air and said pump when said pumpceases to operate to cause exposure to said pump to ambient-air pressure which cooperates with said restrictive oil-return line in temporarily blocking the flow of said oil from said reservoir into said pump and into said lamp when said pump ceases to operate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,364,246 Carrey Jan. 4, 1921 2,073,188 Westin Mar. 9, 1937 2,169,131 Albertson Aug. 8, 1939 2,201,961 Stoltz May 21, 1940 

